ACT NOW OR PAY A PREMIUM THIS OCTOBER
UK Electric Power have announced that they will not be renewing existing electricity contracts which expire on 30th September 2003.
If you are a customer of UK Electric Power, it is essential that you act now to find a new supplier. Failure to do will mean that from 1st October you will be charged an 'out of contract' rate that could increase costs by as much as 40 per cent.
It is also very likely that they will not renew contracts which expire in November & December.
Our free Chamber Utility Auditing service helps members find the best service on energy at the best price. Our partnership with independent energy managers Utility Auditing Ltd means that we can offer companies free analysis of both electricity and gas bills. Utility Auditing can use its strong national negotiating power on behalf of over 60 UK Chambers and trade associations to find the best deals available anywhere in the country.
For a free, no-obligation quote and analysis of your electricity or gas, please contact our Chamber Utility Auditing team on 0116 2046601. Any savings identified by Utility Auditing will be passed on to you in full and the service won't cost you a penny.
CHAMBER'S WEBSITE MEMBERS' ONLY SECTION INCLUDES ACCESS TO DISCOUNTED MARKETING LISTS FOR UK COMPANIES
If you are struggling to find a list of companies to market your products or services the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce has details on companies in the UK.
Searchable by geographical location, number of employees or SIC code, market profiles can be specifically targeted to suit your needs.
As a Chamber member you can enter your membership number and access the members’ only section on the Chamber website and then under Business Research try Marketing Lists. Taking the link from here will give you added discounts on this service when you are looking to obtain a list of companies.
Any Chamber member wishing to access this part of the www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk site but who doesn’t know their membership number can call Danny Whitehead on 0116 2046613 or email leics@chamberofcommerce.co.uk.
BCC BRIEFING, UK ECONOMIC PROSPECTS - 31 AUGUST 2003
From: David Kern, BCC Economic Adviser
The BCC Quarterly Forecast: The first issue of the BCC Quarterly Forecast was issued earlier in August, and was circulated to all Chambers and to the media. A full update of the Quarterly Forecast will be issued in October. Meanwhile, the BCC Monthly Economic Briefing, as well as reviewing recent developments, will signal likely changes in the main economic forecasts.
Key Points:
• UK GDP growth in Q2 2003 was below-trend with worsening imbalances. Household consumption accelerated, but investment fell again and net exports worsened sharply.
• UK growth (1.7% in 2003 and 2.3% in 2004, after 1.9% in 2002), while remaining stronger than in the Euro area, is mediocre and below the Chancellor’s forecasts.
• UK Base rate, now 3.50%, will not be cut in the near future. A further cut cannot be ruled out, but is unlikely. Rates should edge up gently to 4.00%-4.25% during 2004.
• UK public finances are worsening sharply. Tax rises totalling some 10bn-15bn will be needed in the next 2-3 years, to avoid breaking the Chancellor’s fiscal rules.
• Refocusing the inflation target (from November 2003), on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), may be unsettling and delay future interest rate rises.
• Sterling will weaken a little further, as the large external deficit worsens slightly.
• A referendum on UK Euro entry cannot be won in the next 1-2 years, and a decision is very likely to be postponed until after the next General Election at the earliest.
• UK risks: high-spend high-tax policies, pensions, housing market bubble, low skills, low productivity, weak manufacturing, large external deficit, labour disputes.
• Global recovery hopes have firmed in the US and Japan, but the Euro area economy remains weak. Bond yields have risen further and most stock markets remain robust.
• Recession and deflation risks have lessened, but hopes of a strong global upturn are premature. Growth, while improving in 2004, will remain subdued and below-trend.
• Fears of terrorism, too much indebtedness, excess capacity, large budget & external deficits, trade tensions, and currency instability, will dampen the global recovery.
• US GDP growth in Q2 2003 has been raised to an annualised 3.1%. Other US statistics remain mainly positive. But the US budgetary position is worsening; and fears persist fears that a weak labour market will produce a US “jobless recovery”.
• In the Euro area, survey indications of an upturn are not yet confirmed by hard figures. Q2 GDP fell in Germany, France and Italy, and stagnated in the Euro area.
• In Japan, GDP grew by an annualised 2.3% in Q2, but deflation & bad debts persist.
• US and UK growth will remain stronger than in the Euro area and Japan.
• China & East Asia will remain the fastest growing global region.
• Official interest rates are near their cyclical lows. In the Euro area, the ECB may cut rates further. The US Fed will not cut rates below 1%, unless the economy worsens.
• The dollar has risen in line with better US prospects, but will remain fragile in the near term; stronger US growth will support the dollar later in the year and in 2004.
• There is a risk that trans-Atlantic trade tensions, mainly focusing on GM food, will worsen. But the global balance of power continues to shift in favour of the US.
UK background: Robust UK share prices, and higher yields on Government bonds (gilts), continue to signal market expectations of gradual recovery. Employment remains near its all-time highs, and unemployment is low. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) left its key interest rate at a 48-year low of 3.50%, because a further cut might have weakened sterling unduly and might have led to a further acceleration in household spending and indebtedness. However, expectations in some quarters that UK official interest rates may start rising in the next few months are premature.
Revised GDP figures for Q2 2003 confirmed the shallow initial estimate of 0.3% quarterly growth, but showed worsening imbalances in the economy. Household consumption accelerated and public consumption remained robust; but investment fell again and net exports worsened sharply. Looking ahead, the outlook points to modest, below-trend, growth in 2003, followed by a gradual improvement in 2004. The UK labour market remains strong and flexible, with employment at record high levels. But the economy is clearly over-dependent on an upsurge in public sector spending and recruitment, and on strong growth in public sector pay.
The UK economy faces serious long-term problems, highlighted by weak investment, excessive consumption & unduly high debt levels, swelling budget deficits, and increased risks of higher taxes. Unless these imbalances are corrected, Britain’s growth prospects and its strong labour market could be threatened. Public finances are worsening at a faster pace than forecast, and most analysts expect a very large “overshoot” in the budget deficit over the Chancellor’s forecasts. On present trends, given the scale of the “overshoot” in the budget deficit over the Chancellor’s forecasts, some 10bn-15bn in tax rises may be needed in the next 2-3 years, to avoid breaking the Chancellor’s fiscal rules. While the UK economy faces serious medium-term risks, the short-term outlook remains benign, albeit mediocre - with positive modest growth, low inflation, low interest rates, and low unemployment.
Base rate and sterling: At its August meeting, the MPC kept its key interest rate unchanged at 3.50%. The August decision was taken by a 9:0 majority, following the 8:1 majority in the July meeting to cut rates by 0.25% The discussion preceding the “no change” decision concluded that a cut in rates might have resulted in an inflationary fall in sterling, and in a further acceleration in consumer spending. The MPC also hinted that the expansionary policy stance would have to be moderated at some point. Although no further rate cuts are likely in the near future, expectations in some quarters that official interest rates may start rising in the very near future are premature. Indeed, against the background of below-trend growth in UK output and persistent global risks, further interest rate cuts to boost activity cannot be ruled out. But additional UK rate cuts now seem less likely.
On balance, UK Base rate, now at 3.50%, is likely to remain unchanged until next spring. Thereafter, rates should edge up gently, to 4.00%-4.25% in the second half of 2004. Refocusing the inflation target (from November 2003), on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), may be unsettling and difficult to present to the public. If, as expected, the new HICP target is set at 2%, the changeover will have the effect of replacing an inflation measure that is now above target (RPIX was 2.9% in July) with one that is now well below-target (HICP was 1.3% in July). The switch may have the effect of delaying future interest rate rises. But there will be serious questions whether the exclusion of housing costs from HICP, which is the most important factor accounting for the difference between the two indices, justifies the decision to refocus the inflation target on HICP.
Sterling is likely to weaken a little further, as the large external deficit worsens slightly. Meanwhile, a referendum on UK Euro entry cannot now be won, and a decision is very likely to be postponed until after the next General Election at the earliest.
The Global Economy: The mood in the financial markets has improved. Recovery hopes have firmed in the US and Japan, but the Euro area economy remains weak. Bond yields have risen further and most stock markets have remained robust. Recession and deflation risks have lessened, but hopes of a strong global upturn are premature. GDP growth is forecast to be stronger in 2004 than in 2003 in most economies, but growth will generally remain subdued and below-trend. Fears of terrorism, too much indebtedness, excess capacity, large budget & external deficits, trade tensions, and currency instability, will dampen the global recovery.
US GDP growth in Q2 2003 has been revised upwards to an annualised 3.1%. Other US statistics have also been mainly positive. But the US budgetary position is worsening; and fears persist fears that a weak labour market will produce a US “jobless recovery”. In the Euro area, survey indications of an upturn are not yet confirmed by hard figures. Q2 GDP fell in Germany, France and Italy, and stagnated in the Euro area as a whole. In Japan, GDP grew by an annualised 2.3% in Q2, but deflation and bad debts persist. US and UK growth will remain stronger than in the Euro area and Japan. Japan will grow faster than the Euro area in 2003; but, in 2004, Japan’s growth will again be slower. China & East Asia will remain the fastest growing global region.
Official interest rates are near their cyclical lows. In the Euro area, the ECB may cut rates further; the US Fed will not cut rates below 1% unless the economy worsens markedly. The dollar has risen recently in line with better US prospects, but will remain fragile in the near term; stronger US growth will support the dollar later in the year and in 2004. There is a risk that trans-Atlantic trade tensions, mainly focusing on GM food, will worsen. But the global balance of power continues to shift in favour of the US.
UK GDP: Revised figures confirmed quarterly GDP growth of 0.3% in Q2 2003, a modest improvement on the minimal 0.1% seen in Q1, and year-on-year GDP growth at 1.8% in Q2, compared with 2.1% in Q1 and 2.3% in Q4 2002. The new estimates show that the upturn in activity remains weak, and highlight worsening imbalances in the economy. Household consumption accelerated and public consumption remained robust in Q2; but investment fell again and net exports worsened sharply. Looking ahead, the outlook points to modest, below-trend, growth in 2003, followed by a gradual improvement in 2004. My forecast remains that GDP growth will average 1.7% in 2003 (allowing for stronger growth in the second half of 2003), and 2.3% in 2004. The 2003 GDP forecast is well below trend, after below-trend growth in both 2001 and 2002. UK growth is set to remain higher than in the Euro area (0.6% in 2003 and 1.6% in 2004), but lower than in the US and below the Government’s official forecasts accompanying the April Budget - a range of 2.0% to 2.5% for 2003, and a range of 3% to 3.5% for 2004.
Quarterly growth in household consumption (consumer spending) accelerated to 1.3% in Q2 2003, after slowing sharply to 0.2% in Q1. Annual growth rose to 3.3% in Q2, after slowing to 3.1% in Q1. Household consumption growth is forecast to slow (but at a much more moderate pace than previously expected), from 3.7% in 2002, to 3.1% in 2003 and 2.6% 2004, as the housing market cools and the higher personal debt burden fosters greater caution. If the slowdown in household consumption is gradual, and if it coincides with an upturn in investment and exports, it could rebalance the economy. But there is a risk that household consumption may slow sharply, in reaction to a weaker housing market, an unsustainable debt burden, or a rise in unemployment. If this happens, while investment and exports remain flat, the threat of recession would worsen.
Investment fell 0.5% in Q2 2003, after falling 1.1% in Q1, and was 1.4% lower than a year earlier. Falling business investment was the main factor. Exports fell 2.9% in Q2, after rising 2.1% in Q1, and were 5.3% lower than a year earlier. In spite of the fall in the pound earlier in the year, growth in investment and exports will remain weak, until excess capacity shrinks and external demand recovers. In annual average terms, I now expect investment to fall by a further 0.5% in 2003, after falling 1.0% in 2002, while exports are forecast to decline by a further 2.1% in 2003, after falling 0.9% in 2002. The current account deficit will remain large, widening slightly to just over 2% of nominal GDP. The following table and graph summarise my main forecasts for the UK economy:
UK GDP - Main Components - Annual Averages
% Change Year on Year
UK main sectors: Revised GDP figures show that the traditionally robust service sector registered quarterly growth of only 0.3% in Q2 2003, below the 0.4% provisional estimate, and much lower than the growth seen in the second half of 2002. Annual (year-on-year) growth in services was 2.5% in Q2, below the 2.6% provisional estimate, and well below the sharp annual rises recorded in 2000 and 2001. Services growth, while remaining stronger than in manufacturing, is set to continue slowing, from 2.6% in 2002 (and some 3.5% growth in 2000 and 2001), to 2.2% in 2003, before edging up to 2.3% in 2004.
Construction output is estimated to have increased 0.8% in Q2, after recording a surprising 1.9% quarterly fall in Q1. Annual growth was only 2.5%. Even so, construction growth, which averaged 7.5% in 2002 as a whole, is likely to register stronger growth in the next 12-18 months, in line with the upsurge in Government spending.
Manufacturing output rose 0.2% in June, broadly as expected, reversing most of the 0.3% decline in May. In Q2, manufacturing recorded minimal quarterly growth of 0.1%, after a similar 0.1% increase in Q1. This virtual stagnation in the first half of 2003 has come after hefty falls, of 4.1% in 2002 as a whole, and 2.4% in 2001. In Q2 2003, manufacturing was 0.1% higher than a year earlier, but still more than 8% below its Q4 2000 peak, and some 2% below its 1995 level. Engineering (+1.8%), and chemicals (+0.3%) recorded the best year-on-year figures in Q2. Textiles (-5.7%), and basic metals (-1.0%) recorded the worst year-on-year figures in Q2. Manufacturing employment is set to decline further. But, after a nasty and prolonged recession, manufacturing output is forecast to be virtually flat (-0.1%) in 2003, and then grow by a modest 1.7% in 2004. Both output and profits should benefit from a weaker pound against the euro, but the recovery will be fragile.
UK labour market: Claimant count unemployment was 939,200 in July (well below the consensus forecast), down 8,800 from the revised June figure, and down 9,300 over the year. On the wider ILO measure, unemployment was 1,458,000 in April-June, down 42,000 on the previous three months and down 38,000 on the same period a year ago. The jobless rate was 3.1% in July on the claimant count, and 5.0% in April-June on the ILO measure. The employment level was 27,920,000 in April-June, up 63,000 on the previous three months, and up 224,000 over the year. The working age employment rate was 74.7% in April-June, up 0.2 percentage points over the year. Manufacturing employment was 3,510,000 in April-June, 129,000 lower than a year earlier. The jobless rate (claimant count) remains lowest in the South East (1.8%), South West (1.9%) and Eastern region (2.2%). Regional jobless rates were highest in the North East (4.7%), Northern Ireland (4.2%) and Scotland (3.8%).
Average earnings growth was 3.1% in April-June, compared with a revised 3.5% in March-May, largely expected. The fall was largely due to changes in the timing of bonus payments. Private sector earnings growth eased sharply, from 3.1% in March-May to 2.6% in April-June. Public sector earnings growth accelerated from to 4.9% to 5.1%, and the large gap over the private sector widened further. Looking ahead, unemployment may rise slightly over the next 6-9 months, due to recent below-trend GDP growth. But the labour market remains resilient. The upsurge in Government spending, coupled with heavy public sector recruitment, will sustain strong public sector wage settlements and could trigger labour militancy. I expect earnings growth to rise in 2004 towards 4%-4.5%.
Inflation: The year-on-year rise in the all-items retail price index (RPI) was 3.1% in July, up from 3.0% in June. The ‘underlying’ measure of inflation (RPIX), which the Government is now targeting and excludes mortgage interest, also rose, from 2.8% in June to 2.9% in July. The July figures were above market expectations, and RPIX remained above the 2.5% official target. Annual inflation on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the international inflation measure that will replace RPIX in November as the official policy target, rose from 1.1% in June to 1.3% in July, also above market expectations. The main downward pressure on prices in July stemmed from lower prices of alcoholic drink and seasonal foods. The main upward influences on July inflation stemmed from clothing & footwear, travel costs, and personal goods & services. Goods prices inflation edged up further in July, to 0.3%, and was in positive territory for the past six months; while services prices inflation accelerated to 4.2%, and remained much higher than for goods. The pressure on margins has eased further, with an annual increase of 0.2% in High Street prices over the past year, well below the 1.1% fall registered in January. Looking ahead, UK inflation may edge up in the near future, reflecting sterling weakness earlier in the year, and tight labour market conditions due to strong public sector recruitment. But a cooling housing market and a more stable pound should help ease inflationary pressures towards the end of the year and in 2004.
Refocusing the inflation target (from November 2003), on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), may be unsettling and difficult to present to the public. If, as expected, the new HICP target is set at 2%, the changeover will have the effect of replacing an inflation measure that is now above target (RPIX was 2.9% in July) with one that is now well below-target (HICP was 1.3% in July). The switch may have the effect of delaying future interest rate rises. But there will be serious questions whether the exclusion of housing costs from HICP, which is the most important factor accounting for the difference between the two indices, justifies the decision to refocus the inflation target on HICP.
Contact details: David Kern, Kern Consulting
BCC Economic Adviser
Tel: 020 8904 6293 E-mail: david.kern@btinternet.com
Main (adult) rate for workers aged 22 and over
Currently £4.20 per hour, increasing to £4.50 per hour in October 2003
Development rate for workers aged 18-21 inclusive
Currently £3.60 per hour, increasing to £3.80 per hour in October 2003
NB: The development rate can also apply to workers aged 22 and above during their first 6 months in a new job with a new employer and who are receiving accredited training.
To check on how the National Minimum Wage applies to you (or your staff), use the TIGER interactive website or telephone the National Minimum Wage Helpline on 0845 6000 678.
CALL TO IMPROVE IT SKILLS
A new study by City & Guilds showed that British companies could improve their employee’s IT skills. 21% of employees required help with printing, 25% had problems creating spreadsheets and one in seven needed help switching a computer on and off. This lack of knowledge leads to poor productivity with an estimated 312 hours being lost and an extra £49,000 being spent on additional IT workers. However, one in ten managers do not believe IT abilities were essential for new recruits. LCCI have long campaigned to raise local skill levels to raise productivity and to benefit individuals.
E-LEARNING
A Cambridge Online Learning survey found that 55% prefer face-to-face learning but 32% of those studying on-line like the flexibility it gives them. A third (31%) of workers say they prefer a blended approach to learning. People in the South of England are 30% more likely to adopt an approach of blended learning than those in the East of England. In other research a quarter blamed the failure of e-learning because it was not used with other techniques.
A DROP IN EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL CASES
The numbers of applications to tribunal have dropped by 10,000 since 2000/2001, claims an ACAS report.
Almost eight in ten tribunal applications go no further than being dealt with by ACAS. This is good news to employers who have complained in the past about the tribunal process placing unnecessary burdens with regard to cost, time and stress. Often issues can be resolved through other measures, for example negotiation, discussion, and reform. The ACAS plays a welcomed and essential role of stopping applications that do not warrant a tribunal. 77% of all applications did not make it past the arbitration service last year. ACAS have also played an active role in helping employers comply with the law.
A third of complaints that resulted in a tribunal application form being filled in by the employee was unfair dismissal, followed by employers unfairly deducting money from staff’s wages.
ECONOMIC INDICATORSUnemployment
*HICP or Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices is an inflation index widely used in the Euro area. The government will change the definition of the target for UK inflation from the RPIX to the HICP in November 2003. HICPs are calculated in each member state of the EU for the purposes of European comparisons. For more information go to http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=181
**LFS or Labour Force Survey is a new measure (using the ILO basis) that views the whole picture of employment/ economic activity
Claimant countJuly 20032.959,800Leicestershire
Claimant countAug 20034.57,874
PROFILE WORKSHOP: COST EFFECTIVE OUTSOURCING
Date: 25th September
Time: 9am-12 noon
Venue: Charnwood Court, New walk, Leicester
Cost: £20.00 (one price only)
PROfile is a group of independent professionals with a broad range of industrial, commercial, technical and creative experience and all under the umbrella of Leicestershire Chamber. Join the business-builders and problem-solvers of PROfile for practical advice and professional insights on recruitment and employment, winning customers, internal and external communications, property management, finance and insurance. A question and answer opportunity will follow this workshop.
For more details or to book onto this event you can book online by logging on to our website www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk or contact Kam Atker on 0116 2046614 or email at atker.k@chamberofcommerce.co.uk
E-BUSINESS CLUB: BUSINESS BASICS
Date: 30th September
Time: 07.30 - 09.30
Venue: Leicester Tigers, Aylestone Road, Leicester
Cost: £17.63 one price including breakfast
The Chamber’s first eBusiness Club event looks at understanding the basic principles and concepts of building a solid hardware and software foundation for your business. Hewlett Packard Centre of Excellence representatives will be on hand to arrange IT health checks for your current systems and you can also find out about the grants available for both software and hardware.
For more details or to make a booking on this event please contact Sharon Jeffrey on Tel: 0116 204 6618CORPORATE COMMERCIAL LAW SEMINAR - SPONSORED BY FREETHCARTWRIGHT SOLICITORS
Date: 8th October
Time: 18.00 – 20.30
Venue:Leicester Tigers, Aylestone Road, Leicester
Cost: £23.50 members, £33.50 standard
Is It Legal? Businesses in the UK have never been so regulated and non-compliance with the law can seriously damage your wealth and even cause loss of liberty. Join us for a glass of wine and a delicious finger buffet at this Corporate & Commercial Law Seminar with the experts from freethcartwright solicitors, this seminar will highlight some 100 potential areas of concern to law abiding business before explaining how best to address these issues.
Leicestershire Chamber networking events are sponsored by Blue Arrow.
For more details or to book onto this event you can book online by logging on to our website www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk or contact Kam Atker on 0116 2046614 or email at atker.k@chamberofcommerce.co.uk
LEICESTER REVEALED: THE NEW IMAGE AND IDENTITY PROGRAMME FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY
As autumn draws nearer, the eagerly anticipated launch of Leicester Revealed takes a step closer. Spearheaded by Leicester Shire Promotions, the past few months have seen a surge of activity focussed on firmly establishing Leicester and its county as a premier league business location. A programme specifically tailored to help the city and county really punch its weight and build business success.
The vision is to change the image that Leicester currently occupies and position it as a leading European city by 2010. A vigorous advertising campaign and national newspaper supplement will kick off the programme in the autumn, followed by the first of its theme years – 2004 being Taste Leicester!
- The programme has a number of key objectives:
- Create confidence in the city and county and transform perceptions by building a sense of pride throughout the region.
- Establish Leicester as a successful city, one that can promote examples of best practice to other cities.
- Attract inward investment, create jobs and boost tourism.
- Establish culture and creative industries as a major driver for the economic and social regeneration of the county.
- <</p>
There can be no doubt that Leicester is a city with many strengths. It is important for these strengths to be realised and communicated in order for opportunities to be created. The prospect of raised profiles, an employment population of the highest standards, established trade links, successful sales activity and a reputation on par with the some of Europe’s leading cities are realities we all want to look forward to.
Leicester Revealed and its business community need to work together. It is vital for such an opportunity to be appreciated by all who can benefit from it – and if you’re reading this now, it probably means you can! As a result, you are invited you to join the Chamber and over 40 organisations who have already committed themselves to Leicester Revealed for the next three years. With more and more partners coming on board, Leicester Revealed can move ahead with full confidence. The first of a regular newsletter is now available including a pledge card enabling businesses to express their commitment in the programme. This will be circulated to all interested parties listed on the Leicester Revealed database and is also available on the website www.leicesterrevealed.com. For further details, please contact Sam Naik (email: sam.naik@l-p-l.com or telephone: 0116 2254031).
ENERGY FOR ENTERPRISE – UNDERSTANDING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS
FOCUS GROUP MEETING
Wednesday 24th September 9.30am for 10am until 1pm
Empower, Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station, NottinghamEnergy for Enterprise has been convened by the Regional Task Group for Energy to help organisations in the East Midlands identify opportunities arising from regional energy strategy, and to particularly help businesses exploit them to the economic advantage of the region and their own profitability.
The East Midlands is ambitious to become Britain’s first sustainable energy region. The key challenges include:- Sustainable use of energy
- Harnessing the opportunities to lead in the economic exploitation of energy products and processes this will create.
- Sustainable use of energy
- 2 To examine the energy issues, opportunities and risks which are critically important to all business sectors – particularly those involved in the energy equipment, generation, distribution, construction, process, chemical, food and drink, and engineering sectors – and to outline opportunities in the low-carbon economy.
- 3 To examine ways in which energy issues might be managed through some kind of regional agency to ensure that economic opportunities are developed alongside efforts to improve energy efficiency, reduce harmful emissions and meet government targets for regional energy production from renewable sources.
We hope you will take the opportunity to be involved in this potentially profitable debate.
To register for the focus group meeting on 24th September, please use the attached reply slip or register online at www.energy4enterprise.org.uk.
EXPORT EXPLORER TO DENMARK 1-4 FEBRUARY 2004
An ideal market for new & experience exporters. For £99.00 (plus travel costs) companies receive valuable advice, support and help as well as receive high quality market information with specific contacts tailored to your business needs. You will then take part in a visit to the market accompanied by an experience adviser.
To qualify for this government-support package you must manufacture / provide a service in the UK. Exports must currently represent less than 25% of your turnover.
For further details please contact June Palmer, Trade Partners UK on 0116 2587328
TRADE MISSION TO GUANGZHOU CHENGDU 29 NOV - 5 DEC 2003
An opportunity for experienced exporters to visit one of the fastest growing markets in the world offering huge trade and investment opportunities for British companies. This mission offers support from Trade Partners UK and Leicestershire County Council.
A grant of £750 is available to companies who qualify for this mission. To be eligible for this package companies must manufacture / provide a service in the UK. For an information pack please contact June Palmer on 0116 2587328
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT IN POLAND - BRAND-NEW 10 BILLION EURO MARKET UP FOR GRABS
This series of quarterly seminars is updating UK and international firms as to conditions for doing business in Poland, focusing on the economy, financing business and accessing EU funding. Future seminars will cover issues such as the consumer market and sourcing from Poland. Each seminar will be followed by a cocktail reception, offering an excellent opportunity for making new business contacts.
Date & Venue:
Wednesday, 1 October 2003 at 6:15 pm, CMS Cameron McKenna, Mitre House, 160 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4DD (the nearest tube station is Barbican).
Price:
GBP 20 per person BPCC members (GBP 25 on the door)
GBP 25 per person non members (GBP 30 on the door)
If you are interested in attending, please use the contact details below and reply by Friday 26 September. If you already registered for this event, there is no need to do so again.
Please note, that if you register and fail to give 24 hours written notice you will be invoiced in full.
Ela Mundy
British Polish Chamber of Commerce, 240 King Street, London W6 0RF
tel: +44 (0)20 8563 0044 or fax: +44 (0)20 8563 0026
e-mail: manageruk@bpcc.org.pl
www.bpcc.org.pl
BPCC Patrons: CMS Cameron McKenna; GlaxoSmithKline; HSBC Investment Services Poland; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Provident Polska; Tesco Polska